“My earliest mentors were my grandmother and
my parents. My first job was working in my
grandmother’s garden, under her gentle
guidance, weeding the beds. She and my mom, an
avid horticulturist, taught me to love the garden.

My dad, a naval officer, taught me to use power
tools; one of our projects was a full-size
playhouse! Working as a landscape architect, my
mentor was my first East Coast employer, Carol
Johnson. Her grace and tenacity in the then
male-dominated field shined a light that led me
to show up with all my vulnerability and skill, and
to befriend my contractors.”

MiD

15

Bob Ernstpresident, fbn construction, boston

“To be successful, you need to understand how to
be a good partner. Becoming involved with IFDA
[International Furnishings and Design
Association] and ASID [American Society of
Interior Designers] has made the single biggest
difference in my business. The organizations
themselves became a global source of mentoring
for me, and the individuals I’ve met one-on-one
taught me how we could better work together. It’s
a two-way street, and everyone benefits.”